Maximizing Your Message in Front of Professionals with Digital Out-of-Home Screens

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)  issued the first commercial licenses to television stations in 1941. Soon after, advertisers began making placement decisions based on the age, gender, location, and interests of those most likely to be viewing various programs. As technology advanced, so did the way advertisers began using the latest tools at their disposal to reach highly-refined target audiences. 

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to ensure you’re capturing the attention of some of today’s most elusive consumers, you’ll want to make sure that targeted, efficient digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising is a part of your marketing strategy.

The demand for digital out-of-home advertising is so strong that industry experts anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 11% through 2032. Once you know why so many agencies are using DOOH screens to maximize the impact of their messaging to today’s increasingly elusive professional audiences, it’s easy to see how adding a targeted network of screens to your digital toolbox could help your clients increase brand awareness, generate leads, and close more sales.

Why Advertisers Are Using Digital Out-of-Home Screens to Reach Professional Audiences 

The success of any marketing campaign requires purchasing advertising space where and when that placement will have the most impact. During the early days of radio and television, ads intended to capture the attention of professional audiences were scheduled after most businesses closed. 

Companies with the capital to invest in billboards and newspaper ads could reach a significant number of people as they went about their day, but conventional billboards have never been ideal for highly targeted ads intended for a specific audience. For years, advertisers relied on trade journals and direct mail to reach their client’s niche.

Although investments in direct mail and print ads dropped considerably as the internet evolved, there have always been challenges and obstacles to overcome with these channels. When the first mass-market internet browser launched in the mid-1990s, advertisers had little control over where or when their ads were placed. They simply purchased space hoping their ads would reach the right people. Eventually, banner ads and pop-ups gave way to pay-per-placement and pay-per-click models that allowed advertisers to bid on top keyword search engine results. While highly targeted, marketers often overestimated their reach. Inundated with online ads, most people ignore the them.  

Even with today’s automation technology and highly-targeted ad placement, many advertisers find it increasingly difficult to capture the attention of professional audiences at crucial times during the day. With digital out-of-home screens, advertisers are reaching upscale professionals with spending power in the high-value commercial properties where they live and work. Placing ads on digital screens in elevators, lobbies and other high-traffic areas is a cost-effective digital solution that agencies are using to help their clients maximize the return on their investment.

How DOOH Advertising Maximizes Your Ability to Connect with Professional Audiences

Not all that long ago, in-person sales and personalized service were considered business essentials. Online shopping was typically reserved for small, simple purchases. Back then, internet users were so intrigued by the first banner ad that history records an impressive 44% click-through rate over its three-month lifespan. 

Related: Modernizing B2B Marketing to Connect with Hard-to-Reach Professionals

Now that the average internet user is connected about seven hours each day, most are exposed to anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 highly-targeted ads during their time spent online. Although digital ad spend is expected to increase by nearly 14% through 2023, researchers estimate that at least 42% of US consumers are installing ad-blocking software on their PCs, smartphones, and tablets. The rest are scrolling past most targeted ads. 

Although “ad blindness” and “ad fatigue” continue to challenge marketers, most B2B decision-makers read at least three pieces of digital content before initiating contact with a sales representative. As of 2021, 70% say they’re open to making online purchases exceeding $50,000. With so many corporate decision-makers collaborating remotely about high-value purchasing decisions, comparing products and services online, and spending a significant amount of money during working hours, advertisers need effective ways to ensure their clients’ ads are reaching professional audiences where and when important purchasing decisions are made.

Placing ads on digital out-of-home screens located in the lobbies, common areas, and elevators of premium commercial properties is one of the best ways to make that happen. With the right DOOH network provider, your clients’ ads are far less likely to be overlooked because they’re presented in a way that merges the advantages of online and offline marketing. As you’re contemplating how the following advantages will help your clients reach their high-value audiences before crucial purchasing decisions are finalized, consider how partnering with a reputable, experienced DOOH network provider could elevate your agency as you maximize the impact of each campaign.

The Ability to Capture Viewer Attention During Available Moments

Market analysts expect digital ad spend to jump to more than $333 billion in 2024 and nearly $370 billion in 2025. While those numbers confirm that advertisers and the brands they represent consider banner placement, sponsored content, and social media campaigns essential for attracting the attention of those most likely to value their products and services, only about four percent of internet ads attract more than a single second of viewer attention.

With the right DOOH network provider, your clients’ ads are placed on screens in the lobbies, common areas, and elevators of premium commercial and residential properties. It’s a way to give your clients additional opportunities to reach corporate decision-makers and high-value professionals as they’re making their way to the office, waiting for meetings, or traveling between floors during the quiet moments they’re available and more likely to be receptive.  

Holding Viewer Attention in a Way Professional Audiences Appreciate & Enjoy

With so many important purchasing decisions now made during business hours, it’s unwise to count on internet ads alone. There are simply too many at any given time to ensure your message finds its way to an intended audience. Current studies suggest most ads don’t hold viewer attention long enough to have much impact. Adding a network of DOOH screens to a well-rounded marketing strategy could be just what you need to shake things up a bit.

In addition to placing ads in front of influential professionals where and when important purchasing decisions are made, partnering with the right DOOH content provider makes it easy to hold viewer attention long enough to make an impression because your ads are placed alongside contextually relevant content—the type of content professional audiences appreciate and enjoy, such as financial reports, stock market updates, business news, health information, national news, and more.

Elevating Consumer Engagement Strategies in a Creative Digital Environment

Experts estimate that 140 million Americans are planning vacations, browsing social media, and shopping online in the workplace and from locations nearby. In a recent Harris poll, 69% of consumers overall and 81% of millennials admit to shopping at work. That translates to a considerable number of influential professionals with significant spending power finalizing plans and contemplating various ways they could be enjoying their discretionary income. 

Not only does DOOH advertising help you overcome some of the many challenges of capturing viewer attention, you can also use DOOH screens to elevate consumer engagement, promote brand loyalty, and get people talking.

The right media publisher offers a team of dedicated professionals with the ability to deliver customized editorial alignment and sponsorship executions that elevate brand relevance. Whether your clients could benefit from gamification or your ability to embed their ads with QR codes to direct notoriously hard-to-reach professionals to product specifications, special offers, customer reviews, or social media content, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing every ad is displayed in an engaging, professional, brand-safe environment.   

Advanced Targeting, Measurement & Attribution Capabilities

With recent studies suggesting ads need to hold viewer attention for a minimum of 2.5 seconds to have any chance of being committed to memory, it’s easy to understand why placing ads alongside expertly curated content improves overall retention. 

Studies show that marketing efforts optimized for holding viewer attention are three times more effective for building brand awareness and favorable associations than those that are not. During a 9-week DOOH campaign focused on screens in doctor’s offices and healthcare facilities, survey results show that brand consideration increased by an impressive 66%.

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The best media partners give you a lot more than access to a network of digital screens. Your network provider could also offer advanced targeting capabilities that allow you to choose where and when your ads are placed based on company size, key job titles, or geographic location. 

You could also have access to some of the best measurement and attribution capabilities available and the ability to “follow” recently engaged viewers with a combination of geolocation and online activity data, the type of information you need to fully understand the impact of your DOOH campaigns.

See How DOOH Advertising Can Help Your Clients Get Their Message to High-Value Professionals

Agencies have been capturing the attention of large, diverse crowds by placing ads on billboards, trolleys, buses, and building exteriors for decades. DOOH advertising is a more modern, highly targeted strategy that ensures your ads will get your message to the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

Once you’ve realized just how many purchasing decisions are made during peak office hours, it’s easy to see why so many agencies are maximizing their ability to attract and hold the attention of high-value professionals by placing their ads on a network of digital out-of-home screens. To learn more about the benefits of getting your client’s ads placed in premium properties across 37 active markets, visit Captivate.

With Captivate, you can count on customized, brand-safe alignment and access to high-value professional audiences at multiple touchpoints throughout their day. To get started, book a demonstration.